Debilitating pain and burning sensations of the extremities may accompany diabetes, both insulin-dependent and non-insulin dependent, and also infection with the AIDS virus or its treatment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,958 issued Feb. 2, 1982 to LaHann and U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,450 issued Dec. 4, 1984 to Bernstein disclose topical preparations of capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-noneanamide) for producing analgesia in certain skin disorders. Capsaicin was first extracted from the fruit of the red pepper plant and is now also produced synthetically.
Capsicum oleoresin is a crude mixture of compounds, one of which is capsaicin, which may be produced by extraction of the fruit with solvents such as acetone. It has been used as a rubifacient or counterirritant, as has the powdered fruit in various compositions, U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,996 issued Apr. 29, 1975 to Fisher discloses a topical combination including salicylate analgesic in which it is demonstrated that the oleoresin, acting as a rubifacient, enhances the absorbtion of the analgesic. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,060 issued Nov. 5, 1991 to Bernstein, reference is made to other compounds, called capsinoids, in crude extracts of capsicum. He indicates that these are less effective than capsaicin.
Applicant has not met with complete success with the capsaicin compositions disclosed above in treating patients suffering from peripheral neuropathies associated with diabetes and AIDS.